Modern Studies: Democracy in Scotland and
the United Kingdom (National 5)
SCQF:
level 5 (6 SCQF credit points)
Unit code: H23C 75
Unit outline
The general aim of this Unit is to develop skills by using sources of information to
detect and explain exaggeration and selective use of facts and develop a detailed
knowledge and understanding of democracy and the political system in Scotland and
the United Kingdom.
Learners who complete this Unit will be able to:
1
2
Use a range of sources of information to detect and explain exaggeration and
selective use of facts relating to democracy in the Scottish and United Kingdom
political systems
Draw on a detailed knowledge and understanding of democracy in the Scottish
and United Kingdom political systems
This Unit is a mandatory Unit of the National 5 Modern Studies Course and is also
available as a free-standing Unit. The Unit Specification should be read in conjunction
with the Unit Support Notes which provide advice and guidance on delivery,
assessment approaches and development of skills for learning, skills for life and skills
for work. Exemplification of the standards in this Unit is given in Unit Assessment
Support.
The Course Assessment Specification for the National 5 Modern Studies Course gives
further mandatory information on Course coverage for learners taking this Unit as part
of the National 5 Modern Studies Course.
H23C 75 Modern Studies: Democracy in Scotland and the United Kingdom (National 5) Unit Specification 1
June 2013, version 1.1
Recommended entry
Entry to this Unit is at the discretion of the centre. However, learners would normally be
expected to have attained the skills, knowledge and understanding required by one or
more of the following or equivalent qualifications and/or experience:
 National 4 Modern Studies Course or relevant component Units
Equality and inclusion
This Unit Specification has been designed to ensure that there are no unnecessary
barriers to learning or assessment. The individual needs of learners should be taken
into account when planning learning experiences, selecting assessment methods or
considering alternative evidence. For further information, please refer to the Unit
Support Notes.
H23C 75 Modern Studies: Democracy in Scotland and the United Kingdom (National 5) Unit Specification 2
June 2013, version 1.1
Standards
Outcomes and Assessment Standards
Outcome 1
The learner will:
1
Use a range of sources of information to detect and explain exaggeration
and selective use of facts relating to democracy in the Scottish and United
Kingdom political systems by:
1.1
Detecting exaggeration or selective use of facts using between two and four
sources of information
Explaining, in detail, exaggeration or selective use of facts using evidence from
between two and four sources of information
1.2
Outcome 2
The learner will:
2
Draw on a detailed knowledge and understanding of democracy in the
Scottish and United Kingdom political systems by:
2.1
Giving detailed descriptions of a political issue which draw on a factual and
theoretical knowledge of democracy in Scotland or the United Kingdom
Giving detailed explanations relating to a political issue in Scotland or the United
Kingdom
2.2
Evidence Requirements for the Unit
Assessors should use their professional judgement, subject knowledge and
experience, and understanding of their learners, to determine the most appropriate
ways to generate evidence and the conditions and contexts in which they are used.
Evidence is required to show that the learner has met the Outcomes and Assessment
Standards.
The sources of information used may be written, numerical, graphical, pictorial, audiovisual or oral.
Assessment evidence can be drawn from a variety of activities and presented in a
variety of formats, including, for example, presentations, posters, brief written
responses to questions and participation in group tasks. All of the evidence does not
need to be from the one activity, but can be assembled from a variety of tasks and
assessments carried out during the duration of the Course.
Evidence may be presented for individual Outcomes or gathered for the Unit, Units or
Course as a whole by combining assessment holistically.
Exemplification of assessment will be provided in Unit Assessment Support. Advice
and guidance on possible approaches to assessment is provided in the Unit Support
Notes.
H23C 75 Modern Studies: Democracy in Scotland and the United Kingdom (National 5) Unit Specification 3
June 2013, version 1.1
Development of skills for learning, skills for life
and skills for work
It is expected that learners will develop broad, generic skills through this Unit. The skills
that learners will be expected to improve on and develop through the Unit are based on
SQA’s Skills Framework: Skills for Learning, Skills for Life and Skills for Work and
drawn from the main skills areas listed below. These must be built into the Unit where
there are appropriate opportunities.
1
Literacy
1.1
1.2
Reading
Writing
2
Numeracy
2.3
Information handling
4
Employability, enterprise and citizenship
4.6
Citizenship
5
Thinking skills
5.3
5.4
Applying
Analysing and evaluating
Amplification of these is given in SQA’s Skills Framework: Skills for Learning, Skills for
Life and Skills for Work. The level of these skills should be at the same SCQF level of
the Unit and be consistent with the SCQF level descriptor. Further information on
building in skills for learning, skills for life and skills for work is given in the Unit Support
Notes.
H23C 75 Modern Studies: Democracy in Scotland and the United Kingdom (National 5) Unit Specification 4
June 2013, version 1.1
Administrative information
Published:
June 2013 (version 1.1)
Superclass:
FB
History of changes to National Unit Specification
Version
1.1
Description of change
All Assessment Standards — replaced 'and/or'
with 'or'
Authorised by
Qualifications
Development
Manager
Date
June
2013
This specification may be reproduced in whole or in part for educational purposes
provided that no profit is derived from reproduction and that, if reproduced in part, the
source is acknowledged. Additional copies of this Unit can be downloaded from SQA’s
website at www.sqa.org.uk.
Note: readers are advised to check SQA’s website: www.sqa.org.uk to ensure they are
using the most up-to-date version of the Unit Specification.
© Scottish Qualifications Authority 2013
H23C 75 Modern Studies: Democracy in Scotland and the United Kingdom (National 5) Unit Specification 5
June 2013, version 1.1